


The Paradigm Shift

by afteriwake



Series: Molly Madness Month - March 2018 [8]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Ambushes and Sneak Attacks, Angry Jim, Autoerotic Asphyxiation, Blended family, Brother-Sister Relationships, Caring Sebastian, Comforting Sebastian Moran, Couch Cuddles, Crying Molly Hooper, Dead Jim, Decisions, F/M, Falling In Love, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Feelings, First Dates, First Meetings, Food, Happy Molly Hooper, Happy Sebastian Moran, Implied Sexual Content, Injured Moran, Inspired by Music, Kissing, Los Angeles, Marriage Proposal, Meet the Family, Molly Leaves London, Molly Reconsiders Things, Moran Is In A Coma, Moran To The Rescue, Moran returns, Moran's Family Approves, Moriarty Is A Dick, Mycroft Being Mycroft, Mycroft's Meddling, On the Run, POV Molly Hooper, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Poor Life Choices, Poor Molly, Possessive Moriarty, Pre-Episode: s02e03 The Reichenbach Fall, Pregnant Molly Hooper, Rescue, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Safehouses, Self-Defense, Something is Wrong, Stabbing, Time Skips, Trapped, Trapped In A Trunk, Unexpected Visitors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-03-26 17:16:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13862277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: After Moriarty almost kills Molly during a sexual encounter, he sends Moran to take care of things. But Moran has other ideas and Molly finds her life upended and changed forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dreamin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/gifts).



> So last night **Dreamin** and I were talking about songs that made us think of the Sebastian/Molly ship and I mentioned Korn's "[Lullaby For A Sadist](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/korn/lullabyforasadist.html)" was something that made me think of Moriarty/Molly messing with a Molly who had left to be with Sebastian, and thus with her encouragement, this fic was born. I don't plan on making it too graphic violence wise but there will be mentions of creepy things done to play mind games.

She knew he was dangerous. She knew who he was and what he was about. She knew he could flip a switch and go from Jim to James and be a danger to everyone in the room.

She had just rather naively thought he wouldn’t be a danger to _her_.

Her hands were shaking as she gripped the sink in the loo and looked at the red marks around her neck. Auto-erotic strangulation was something she’d never had an interest in trying, but he’d insisted. Then he held the scarf around her neck too long and as she blacked out she wondered if this was it, if this was to be her end.

He was gone now, not even there when she came too, and she’d sobbed on the bed as she loosened the scarf from around her neck. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t be his lover anymore. But how was she to get out?

The knock on the door was unexpected, and she splashed some cold water on her face, her hands still shaking as she turned the taps on then off, and grabbed a robe with a fluffy collar to slip on before heading to the door. She was almost sure it was Sebastian; Jim would care enough to see that she was alive, but probably not enough to see if she was alright. And Sebastian could clean up any mess he might have made.

It was what he did, after all.

How she had gotten into this position she really couldn’t fathom, but this was her life now.

She answered the door and Sebastian instantly looked at her neck. He reached towards her and she didn’t flinch, running a finger lightly on the red marks. “He’s getting more dangerous,” he said softly.

“I know,” she said, tucking her chin down.

“Molly...”

She shook her head. “Don’t. I’m alive, there’s no mess to take care of.”

He was quiet for a moment. “Yes there is,” he said. She looked up in shock, fear in her eyes. Maybe Jim regretted _not_ killing her. Maybe he wanted to use her as a different type of pawn in his game with Sherlock and her body would be put somewhere on display to get a rise out of Sherlock. Maybe that was why Sebastian was _really_ here. But his hand moved to cup her chin, his thumb running over her skin a moment, and he pushed his way past her as his hand dropped. “We’re getting you out of here.”

“And going where?” Molly asked.

“I know places. And if I’m keeping you safe, I’m sure the Holmes brothers will help.” He went to her bedroom. “Pack a few things. I’ll get Toby. He likes me.”

She nodded slowly, her mind not comprehending things at first. Was he taking her away? Was he going to involve Sherlock and his brother? But...why?

And then the logical part of her was exerting itself, and she moved from the spot she’d been rooted to go to her bedroom and get a suitcase. Whatever his plans were, he was saving her from what could be a fate that led to her death if she stayed. She would just have to trust him.

Trust him with her life, apparently.


	2. Chapter 2

Mycroft had arranged for the jet. He and Sherlock had not been happy to hear about her predicament, though she doubted it was because of any fondness towards her. Well, perhaps Sherlock had, but she knew he had to feel disappointed. He had told her the truth about Jim and yet there she was, still his lover. Maybe he felt she couldn’t get out of it and there was pity.

It was the truth now, she supposed.

It had taken hours to get to the States, and she had slept with her head ending up on Seb’s shoulder, She was surprised to find he had put an arm around her shoulders to make her more comfortable, but it had been nice. She had always felt safer with Seb around, and now that it was just them she was glad the feeling was still there.

Once they got to New York City they switched to trains. First the subway, and then at Grand Central Station they got on one train out of the city, and then other ones at various large train stations until finally, they ended up in Los Angeles. She had expected to stay in the city proper but they went outside the city limits to what she supposed was an upper-middle-class suburban neighborhood, only a few blocks from a police station. He kept her by his side as he got to the door and then checked the perimeter, and finally, they went into the house through the side entrance to the garage.

“Does Jim know about this place?” she asked.

“Jim thinks he knows where all my hideouts are but truthfully, he knows about maybe a third of them? Most of them are on the East Coast or in Europe. The one he knows about in California is in San Francisco. I had two in San Diego County, another one in Riverside, three in Sacramento and one up near the Oregon border. And a farm.”

She gave him a small smile. “You have a farm?” she asked.

He nodded. “Avocado farm in Fallbrook. That’s at the top of San Diego County. My farm has the best avocados north of Mexico. It’s how I make my legitimate money, mostly. The bit of the property used for strawberries does well, too.”

“You are full of surprises,” she said, setting the bag she was carrying down and stretching. All the days worth of travel had left her sore, as they had mostly been sleeping upright in chairs. After a moment she felt hands on her shoulders and she tensed a moment before relaxing.

“Still sore?” he asked, concern laced in his voice.

“The bruising’s come up,” she said quietly, reaching up to undo the silk scarf she was wearing around her throat. She’d seen in the train mirror just how bad she looked, but she’d tried her best not to show Seb.

“I’m going to kill him,” he said quietly.

“By now he’s realized we’re both gone, and...” She trailed off.

“Fuck it,” he said. “I told him if he used you as bait he had to promise to keep you alive. He damn near broke that promise so I’ll feel no guilt breaking his neck.” He looked up the stairs to the second floor. “You want to sleep?”

“In a bed?” she asked.

A small smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah, in a bed. We’re going to have to share, but it’s a Cal King. There’s plenty of space for us both.”

“That would be heavenly,” she said, rubbing at the back of her neck and then wincing.

“Let me show you the best part of this place,” he replied. He headed towards the stairs and she followed, and he led her up the stairs to the second floor, which she saw was one large room in itself with a door near the bed. The bed itself looked quite inviting and larger than any bed she’d seen before. He walked through the room to the second door and opened it, and she gaped. “Even though no one knows about this place, having a hot tub outside seemed foolish when I could have one in the bathroom.”

She walked in and looked at what could literally be the bathroom suite of her dreams with wide eyes. There was a sauna off to one side of the hot tub, and a large shower on the other. And there was also a sunken tub large enough to fit at least two full-grown men. “You must love this place,” she said.

“I let my sister design it,” he replied.

“You have a sister?” she asked, surprised.

“Half-sister, but yes,” he said with a nod. “Spent her whole time in uni studying architecture and design, gave it all up to marry an avocado farmer who occasionally has strawberries, too.” He grinned a little wider. “He was a lawyer before he gave it all up.”

“Does she know…?”

He shook his head. “She was in the system here in the States. Her last foster family nearly starved her to death. I made sure they paid for it. She thinks they died in a car accident and it was a fortunate stroke of luck her foster brother and the family’s daughter survived. I don’t kill kids, I don’t kill women. That’s my rule.”

“Where did they go?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the tub.

“I raised them all while I was working for my employer prior to Jim,” he said. “Charlie is a CFO for a company in Atlanta, and Marjorie stays on the farm with my sister and her husband while she attends San Diego State University. She’s there on an athletic scholarship. Basketball. Star forward for the Aztecs women’s team.”

She nodded again and looked at him. “Are they safe?”

“Safe enough. Charlie...he figured it out ages ago, what I do. He isn’t proud of it, but he knows I have morals. Unlike Jim, I go after the arseholes who deserve it. And as I said, no women, no children. I think Caitlyn knows but won’t say it out loud. I’m fairly sure her husband is aware, but he knows I was looking to get out.” Seb shrugged. “Mycroft’s legitimized what I do, though, so if I have to come out as anything, I’m MI-6 now.”

“He would use this to his advantage,” she said quietly, looking down.

“I offered my services to him if he’d make sure you were safe,” he replied. Molly’s head snapped up. “Sherlock told him to make the deal.”

“Oh,” she said.

“Go soak or use the sauna,” he said.

“I...didn’t bring a bathing costume,” she said. “I mean, for the sauna or hot tub.”

He chuckled. “Go starkers. I’ll be outside. I’d suggest using a bath sheet if you sit in the sauna, though.” He came over and cupped her chin to have her look up at him. “You don’t have to worry that I’ll make you do anything you don’t want to do. Tomorrow I can see about having Caitlyn get you a few things, and we’ll make sure there’s a bathing costume in there. We’re going to be here a while, so...”

She nodded, and then he removed his hand from her face and walked to the door, letting himself out, She ran her hand on the tile around the bathtub, feeling the polished squares under her fingers. The fact he had been open with her gave her even more reason to trust him, and perhaps even to open up to him as well. As she moved her hand to the tap to turn the water on, she decided it would be best to wait and see.


	3. Chapter 3

“You are in love with my loo, aren’t you?”

Molly laughed, feeling relaxed enough to do that. After a long soak in the tub and a little bit of time in the sauna, she felt some of the fear that had been following her since Jim had left her fade away. She had on a fluffy white robe that nearly enveloped all of her, obviously being one of Seb’s, and she was padding around barefoot on the wooden floor in the bedroom. “Desperately. Almost like my kitchen at home.”

“You haven’t seen the kitchen here yet, have you?” Seb asked as if it just occurred to him. “Tomorrow. I think there’s a decent amount of food in tins and dry stuff, but you’re a baker at heart. We need...eggs, milk, all sorts of other things. I’ll see if I can get it all delivered in the morning.”

“Do you cook?” she asked, realizing there was so little she knew about him. Jim had kept them apart for the most part.

“I’m known for a few things. Feeding a crowd of people with different tastes, you learn.” He leaned further into the pillows on the bed on the side he had taken, while Molly climbed up on the other side and faced him. The bed was quite comfortable and so large she knew they’d be able to sleep on it at the same time and never even get close to each other. “Charlie likes spice, but more Cajun spice. He was originally from Louisiana before he ended up in the foster care system here in California. Caitlyn will eat anything that’s from anywhere in the world, and the stranger the better. Marjorie has a rather strict high protein, low-fat diet due to the various sports she’s into, but she’s got a sweet tooth that comes out in her smoothies.”

“I just realized there is really so much I need to learn about you,” Molly said. “I mean...you always seemed so cold and standoffish when Jim was there, and now you seem...warm.”

“Jim only wanted what he wanted. Your body, my body, my skills, your submission...he changes people the longer they’re around him. But he never managed to change you, and my fam wouldn’t let him change me much. And to be honest, they were always more important than Jim was. I just never realized how much of a bastard he was until I shared his bed.”

“Did he ever…?” she trailed off, her hand going to her neck.

“It was a kick of his to dominate,” Seb said with a shrug. “Especially someone bigger than him.”

“Ah,” she said. She had expected the conversation to be awkward but really, it wasn’t. “Does your family know you’re gay?”

“Bisexual, actually. And yes, they do. Not that they’ve ever met many of my lovers. I tended to keep them very separate from aspects of my life as I was never very choosy.” He turned and put his interlaced fingers behind his head. “I was just very careful to keep them safe. I may be despicable, but they deserve better. Always have, always will.”

“You are not despicable!” His eyes were wide when he turned to look at her and she was surprised how livid she felt with him even _thinking_ such a thing.

“Molly, I kill people for a living.”

“So? You didn’t kill me. You don’t kill children. You don’t kill women. And how many people have you killed that didn’t actually _deserve_ it, hmm?”

Seb looked at her and then grinned. “Look at you, coming to my defense. If only Holmes could see you.”

“He isn’t a saint, either,” she said in a huff.

“But he thinks you don’t care.”

“About him or you?”

“Both.”

“He’s full of utter crap if he doesn’t think I care about either of you. I may not know you as well as I know Sherlock, but I trust you. Just like I trust him. And...stop smiling!”

This time his smile became a laugh. “You know, you really are like my sister. One day I’ll have to have you meet her.”

Molly shook her head and picked up a pillow from under her and tossed it at his head. “You’re a prat.”

“But you like me,” he said, easily catching the pillow and wrapping his arms around it.

“I suppose.”

“Liar.” She glanced over and saw him grinning still, and she couldn’t help smiling too. “See?”

“Sebastian Moran, you are impossible,” she said, shaking her head again.

“But you think I’m a good man.”

“Yes. Better than others we know.”

“Then I’ll keep that close.” He let go of the pillow and tossed it towards her, and it landed next to her. “Get some sleep. I’ll make sure you can cook to your heart’s content tomorrow.”

“Good night, Seb.”

“Good night, Molly.” She reached over and turned the light by her side of the bed off, not caring that all she was in was the robe and her knickers. He wouldn’t take advantage of the situation, or her. She knew that deep down and for the first time in days, she felt truly safe.


	4. Chapter 4

She woke up to an empty bed and the few things she had brought with her from London having been put away. Toby was squarely in the center of the bed, sleeping in a patch of sunlight that had come in from the window. She panicked for just a moment about her surroundings but then it registered that she was safe and she relaxed. Seb would keep all of them safe, she knew that.

She realized the robe had slipped partially while she’d slept and that a quilt had been draped over her since she hadn’t gone under the covers when she’d fallen asleep. It was a T-shirt quilt, and she imagined it was something that was important to him to be at this place. It looked as though it was made up of various shirts and jerseys from schools she had never heard of. A Father’s Day present, perhaps? She’d have to ask.

She got dressed at a leisurely pace, enjoying the lack of tension in her body. She was definitely going to take advantage of the sauna as much as possible. She felt truly relaxed and even though she knew there were the bruises around her neck from the shag gone wrong, they didn’t hurt. She was still going to have to look at them, though, and that influenced her choice of clothing for the day. She had taken a few scarves to wrap around her neck when they were escaping London, and she picked a soft chiffon one that was bright yellow and matched the vest she chose to wear with a pair of yoga pants. She had gotten clothing more for comfort than anything else in her rush to leave.

She had the feeling if there was anything in her flat left in good condition she probably would never see it again. Jim was the type to be petty about losing his toys.

And then she felt hit with a wave of emotion she hadn’t been expecting and tears slipped down her cheeks. She sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her knees up to her chest, and started sobbing into them. Her life was never going to be the same, ever, and this...this was what she had now.

She heard the door open softly but her crying continued, and after a moment she felt two strong arms wrap around her and Seb’s solid chest against her legs. She lowered her legs and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his chest.

“Get it out,” he murmured, as though he’d been expecting this. And he wasn’t the only one comforting her; Toby came over to them and rubbed against her back in creature comforting style.

“I can’t go home,” she finally said between sobs.

“No, and I’m sorry for that,” he replied. “But this can be a home of sorts.”

“But it’s not _my_ home,” she said as fresh tears sprung out of her eyes.

“I know,” he said. “Jim will pay, one way or another.”

“No!” She jerked her head up and looked at him. “Don’t do anything that could get you hurt, or worse. I just...I’m not worth it.”

“You very much are,” he said simply, kissing the top of her head gently. “Jim’s a monster, he needs to be put down. Once I know you’re safe, I’ll clean up the mess I helped make, but for now, I’ll give information to Holmes and his brother. You’re the priority. We all want you safe. Alright?”

She nodded and then the tears lessened but he held her close again. This was good and comforting and she hadn’t realized how sorely she needed this comfort until she had it. They were there in silence until she pulled away again. “I’m sorry.”

“No apologies. I was just waiting for the dam to burst.” He moved from in front of her and leaned against the bed next to her. “Groceries arrived while you were asleep. I figure I got most of your favourites. You can tell me what else to get. But I’ll handle the cooking right now. Curl up with Toby for a bit.”

“Alright,” she said, reaching behind her to pet Toby. Her cat moved around her and settled on her lap, and she picked him up and held him close when she went to lay back down on the bed. Seb drifted from the room as quietly as he had come in, leaving her alone with her cats and her thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

Molly finally got her first look at the kitchen a day later, when she woke up to see the bed was empty again. Seb had taken care of all the cooking the day before, or it had been her choices in takeaway that he’d brought upstairs. She’d hoped to pay him back for his hospitality and kindness with breakfast in bed but alas, that was not to be.

The fluffy white robe was now hers, she had found, seeing it was draped over the chair in front of the desk where her laptop and a few other things had gone. She wasn’t using the laptop just yet in case Jim had done something to it, but Seb had told her to bring it so even if he had she assumed it was fixable. She’d barely looked at anything more than the foyer once they’d arrived because she was so tired, but she had the feeling Seb wouldn’t mind if she explored just a bit. She made her way back downstairs for what felt like the first time in ages and saw there were wide windows. She knew the house was set back from the street but it had been dark when they’d arrived and she hadn’t realized how much light was being let in. Not that the windows were easy to get to; the foyer was taller than both floors of her home and the windows were up high, almost like skylights. 

She finished getting to the bottom of the stairs and saw, like the upper floor, it was mostly one large floor plan that was rather open, aside from what looked like a downstairs loo. There were shelves lining almost every wall and books on the shelves. She went and fingered a few of the spines, seeing that there was a large assortment of types of books, things she would never have expected Seb to read.

To be honest, she didn’t think he was much of a bibliophile at all, come to think of it.

The books lined every inch of the open floor plan, which seemed to be divided by furniture more than anything else, usually meaning smaller waist-high bookshelves. She drifted through the one area where there was a large flat screen telly mounted on the wall and comfortable sofas, then to a dining area, and finally a kitchen, where Seb was standing in front of the stove,

“You have a lot of books,” she said, awe in her voice.

She could see the corner of his mouth go up in a grin. “This is my home base safehouse. It’s the closest to home I’ve ever had, really, aside from the farm.” He turned his head and nodded to a stool by the counter. Molly went and sat on it. “I had no idea how to raise my sister and her siblings at first. I just knew there was no way in hell I’d let them turn out like me.”

“They didn’t, from what you’ve told me,” she said.

“No, thank God,” he replied. “They were in San Diego and I asked if they wanted to stay in San Diego or move somewhere else. Or Caitlyn and Charlie at least. They wanted to stay in North County, but the only place I had down there was the farm. So we moved there. I had it fixed up and made ready for a teenager, a kid, and a toddler and that was where they stayed when I worked. Babysat well, of course.”

“Of course,” Molly said with a nod.

“eventually I got enough saved up to get the farm up and running with the help of a good manager. They loved the kids so they stayed at the farmhouse with us. Miguel and Marina retired when Caitlyn took over, but they taught her and her husband the ropes. That was about six years ago. Caitlyn redesigned the farmhouse and designed the place Miguel and Marina moved to as a thank you for everything they’d done.”

“And I’m assuming you paid for the construction?” Molly asked with a smile.

“Actually, Charlie did. The kids adored them. I think Caitlyn still babysits their grandkids from time to time since they stayed in Fallbrook.”

“Your family sounds so close,” she said.

“Unlike yours,” he said.

“Well, my mum and dad are dead and my brother was estranged long before my mum passed,” Molly said. “I doubt he’ll realize anything’s happened to me.”

“The others will, though,” he pointed out. “Holmes and his brother know the truth and I’m sure a suitable story will be told to everyone else.”

“I suppose,” she said, her good mood dimming.

“When he’s gone, you can go back to that life, or at least some of it,” Seb said. “That was the deal I worked out with the Holmes brothers, that this was all temporary for you. I don’t know what your home will be like or whether you can go back to Barts, but I think Mycroft will pull strings.”

“Why would he? I was shagging the enemy,” she said.

“I think they knew, and they know what kind of person Jim is,” Seb said. “You were in deep from the moment he picked you to get Holmes. It’s hard to escape his clutches.”

“I suppose,” she said.

“Look at this as kind of a vacation,” Seb said, pointing the spatula in his hand at her. “I promise I’ll try and make it at least a little enjoyable.”

“You swear?” Molly asked, the faintest of smiles crossing her face.

“I do.” Then he nodded to the skillet in front of him. “Hope you want a full English. I’m starved.”

“Strangely enough, so am I,” Molly said, her smile widening. Maybe it would all work out after all if this really was temporary. She’d just have to trust Seb.

Good thing she did already.


	6. Chapter 6

It didn’t take long, but soon enough there was a routine set in Seb’s home. It was nice to have a routine, even if it was a different routine than she was used to. There was something to be said for getting to lounge about all day. And the sheer amount of books Seb had definitely had given her things to occupy her time. And it wasn’t as though she was housebound all the time. They did occasionally go out to eat or catch a film, though Seb made very sure to be aware of their surroundings at all times. She almost felt bad for having these excursions with the stress it must cause him. If he wasn’t able to enjoy himself as well, what was the point?

And then something had come up at the farm, just paperwork his signature needed to be on, and his sister had supposedly wanted to show him something that they were supplying fruit for or would be if it all worked out, and he’d done everything short of assigning her an armed guard before he left to travel south.

Which, she felt, would work out well for her plans.

While he was gone she set herself about working in the now mostly familiar kitchen, making a full array of finger foods. She’d asked for some of it in advance, saying she was having cravings, but in reality, it was a surprise. She had noticed his telly had a USB port and so she used the shadier side of the internet to download a few films and tested them out to be sure they played on the television set. When they did she went and got things similar to what he had in his meager collection.

Then she really went to work.

When the door opened up she was waiting for him and half-pulled, half dragged him to the elaborate blanket fort she had made over the sofa. “We’re having a night in so you can bloody relax,” she said. “I’ve made the food, I’ve popped the popcorn and I even called in a delivery for Irish lager for us to have with dinner.”

The look on his face of sheer surprise followed by the biggest grin she’d ever seen on his face told her she’d made the right decision. He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly. “Thank you, Molly. It’s been a long while since someone has done something like this for me.”

“I figured it had been in the past. I know I loved making them with my dad.” She went to the sofa and patted the seat next to her. “We have all of the Chow Yun Fat repertoire and some old school Jackie Chan. You do like old Hong Kong martial arts movies, right?”

“Have you been researching me?” he asked with a chuckle. 

“Maybe I snooped a bit,” she admitted. “Alright. Settle in and I’ll get us our supper. Then I think these have subtitles so I should be good and we’ll start with whatever you want to start with. Your choices are on the thumb drive on the side of the telly.”

“Molly...” he said, and she stopped moving towards the kitchen. “Really. Thank you.”

“I just...you’ve taken me out of the house and I know it’s been no fun for you but you don’t want me cooped up here. But I could do something, even if it’s just something little.”

“You could do something else,” he said.

“Oh?” she asked.

He bit his bottom lip and then patted the spot she’d vacated. “Stay here and let me stay close.”

“No food?” she asked.

“Not yet.” She moved back over and sat next to him, curling up into him, and he put an arm around her shoulders, letting her shift position so she was resting her head on his shoulder, almost into the crook of his neck. She realized just how comfortable this was as he lifted up the remote and turned the telly on, looking at their choices of what to watch. It wasn’t just that Seb was comfortable, though he was, but it was...all of it. This almost felt like an honest to God date.

And in the back of her mind, as she snuggled just a bit closer, she hoped he was feeling the same way.


	7. Chapter 7

She paced around in front of the door to the bathroom suite a few days after the not date date, nervous. She fancied Seb. She did. And Lord, she wanted to tell him. But shouldn’t she do that first instead of making her way into the bathroom and trying her hand at seducing him? That’s what _normally_ happened in relationships.

But then again, nothing between them had ever been normal, and she highly doubted now was the time it would start.

Before she could make a decision, however, Seb opened the door and adjusted the towel around his waist. His hair was wet and there were droplets of water on his shoulders and chest. “Loo’s free,” he said.

“Shower?” she asked, surprised her voice worked at all.

“All yours,” he said with a nod.

“Um...” She stared at his rather defined muscles for a moment. “Join me?”

He looked at her with mild surprise for just a moment before the heat in his eyes took over. “Hot tub or bath might be better. We can keep the water low, not have to worry about splashing.” He let the towel drop from his waist and she could see he was already hard. No seeing her stark naked, no kissing, nothing more than the simple request to join her had made his length rigid and dear Lord, he had been blessed with a magnificent cock.

She stepped closer, running her finger down his length and he groaned in a way that made her think he was doing everything in his power not to take her against the wall and fuck her into insensibility. She wasn’t sure what she wanted more at the moment, slow and sensual or hard and fast.

After a moment he gave into some of his urges, pulling her against him and kissing her urgently, his tongue slipping past her teeth into her mouth and soon she was clinging to him, his cock pressed against her abdomen. Oh, he was a phenomenal kisser, taking her breath away as she felt a familiar wetness pool between her legs. These knickers were going to be useless, but she didn’t care.

Soon he lifted her up to carry her to the bed, his hands cupping her arse and his thumbs sliding into her knickers. She deepened the kiss and ground against his cock, eliciting groans into her mouth from him. Soon he set her on the bed and she quickly pulled her sundress off, leaving her in just the lace knickers that were now soaked through and through.

He moved in front of her, and she was thankful the bed wasn’t raised too high because his mouth was on her breast, licking and sucking and lightly biting, leaving his mark on her. She knew his marks would never be deep or painful enough to hurt her. Seb would never ever harm her, even in the heat of the moment. She ran her fingers through his hair, running her long nails along his scalp and occasionally tugging to move his mouth back to a particularly sensitive spot.

He moved to her other breast and gave it equal attention as one of his hands slipped into her knickers. “Christ,” he said as he let his finger slide along her folds, teasing the nub of flesh that was begging for attention. Soon his lips moved away and traveled lower, tasting her skin before ending up on the sopping wet lace. She had never wanted an article of clothing to be off of her more than she had in that instant, but he used the rougher lace to tease her, pressing his tongue to it to tease her clit.

“Seb,” she cried out, massaging her own breasts and tweaking her nipples to keep the sensation. “Please...”

“Please what?” he asked, swiping his tongue up.

“ _Please_ ,” she gasped out, unable to articulate what she wanted from him any better than lifting her hips slightly. He took the hint and his fingers went to the sides of her knickers. He tried to get them down in one piece but one of the sides ripped and in the end, he just ripped the other side and pulled away. She whimpered when she realized he was going away from the bed, but soon she realized he went to get a condom when she heard the telltale sound of the wrapper being opened. She watched him roll the condom along his rigid cock, getting wetter if that was even possible, and soon he was over her, nudging her legs apart and letting them hang off the edge of the bed. 

And then he was entering her, slowly, letting her get used to his size. He certainly was one of the bigger men she had been with and he filled her completely in a way not even Jim had done, and he had been fairly well endowed himself. He remained mostly upright and gently lifted her left leg off the bed with one arm and hooked it over his shoulder before pulling out and then entering her again, taking his time. He used his other hand to tease her clit and she was enjoying every second of this intimate torment.

But she wanted him to fuck her, sooner rather than later.

“Sebastian,” she got out as she felt the twinges that meant she was going to come soon. “Please Sebastian...faster. _Pleeeease_!”

The sound of her begging didn’t seem to egg him on and he kept his slow, deliberate pace until she came around his shaft, moaning as each wave of pleasure crashed over her. She started to come down and only then did his thrusts become more deliberate and faster. He’d held himself back until she’d felt pleasure first, something most men never did. She gripped his shoulder and the side of his neck, pulling him closer to her and digging her nails into his skin in the process.

That was what set him off because soon she was being thoroughly fucked, just as she wanted. She let her hands slide down slightly, nails scraping his skin without meaning to hurt him but still make him feel pain, and his lips crashed on hers as he thrust one last time, stiffening up as he came before dropping onto her slightly.

He pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily, and she cradled his head, pressing light kisses on his skin where she could as he caught his breath. “That wasn’t how I imagined...” he started.

“Worse?” she asked.

He shook his head. “More romantic.”

She laughed softly and he lifted his head up, resting his chin on her. “Sebastian Moran, honestly, it was perfect.”

“I can do better,” he said.

“Can you?” she asked with a smirk. She got a passionate kiss in return and felt his cock harden while still inside her. She just rather hoped he had a stash of condoms if this was going to be how it went because dear Lord, she wanted nothing more than to have him inside her as often as possible.


	8. Chapter 8

They laid in a mess of blankets and sheets, the bed linens lazily wrapped around them to give them some modicum of decency. She had her head on his chest over his heart, listening to the steady beat as he dozed. He’d spent their second time pleasing her over and over with fingers and lips and tongue, drawing her to orgasm after orgasm until she decided enough was enough and she begged and pleaded with him to please please have her again, and this time he’d taken her from behind, never quickening his pace, until they came together. It was a bath after that and they laid in the water and soaked, teasing a bit but mostly relaxing until the temptation was too much, and the third time she took the reins, riding him and knowing soon enough there were going to be marks all over their bodies. She could still see her teeth marks near his clavicle, and she moved her head to press her lips against his skin, causing him to stir. “Once more?” he asked, pressing a kiss into her hair.

“Lord knows you’re willing,” she said as she moved her hand to the now tented bedsheet covering his hips. “But maybe we’ll do something different a little later.” She let her hand tease the curly hair above his shaft for a moment before idly tracing his hips. “How long?”

“How long what?” he asked.

“How long have you wanted to shag me?” she asked.

“About when you started your online diary,” he said quietly, running his fingers through her hair. “That was when Jim decided to use you to get to Holmes and he set me to watch you. One night you were in the kitchen with a bottle of wine and you were cooking and dancing around singing at the top of your lungs. That was when I knew if Jim dragged you into this I’d make sure nothing happened to you.”

She sat up and hovered over him, looking him in the eye. “That was a long while ago.”

“I’ve been in love with you for a long time then,” He ran a finger around the faded bruise marks around her neck from Jim. They were barely noticeable, easily covered with concealer, but they could be seen even in the light of the setting sun. “And I think he knew. That’s why he didn’t stop your relationship after Holmes found out the truth. He had me, he had you, we couldn’t do anything about any attraction there might be between us...he liked to torture people. That was his way of torturing me, I suppose.”

She leaned in, kissing him softly in a way that she hoped made clear that she didn’t want a sexual interlude to spring from the kiss. And there was tenderness in the way he returned the kiss, tenderness in the way he cupped her cheek and then carded his fingers through her hair. Jim had never been tender; none of her lovers had. But this…

She had made the wrong choice before, but if she hadn’t made that choice she wouldn’t have this, would she?

When the kiss ended she set her head back down on his chest, moving her fingers up to trail them in the faint hairs on his abdomen. “I always thought...or rather, I hoped...he would not treat me harshly. I mean, I knew that you two were an item and what we had wasn’t exclusive, but I thought he cared a bit. I suppose I was wrong.”

“He may have, in his own twisted way,” Seb replied. “He may even have cared for me. But I knew just how dangerous he was, more than you. I think that’s why so much of my life I kept separate. I was his ghost lover, you were his bait. In the end, it didn’t matter to him what happened to us.”

She was quiet for a long moment. “He wanted you to see if I was dead, didn’t he?” she asked, her voice uncertain and soft.

“And to ensure you were,” Seb said, the slight nodding of his head moving his shoulders. “I told him I would instead of telling him to go to Hell, and I think he knew I wouldn’t do it.”

“So why did he let you get me?”

“I was already in the flat across that day, just...keeping watch. Things are escalating between him and Holmes. He assumed I was on the other side of London. I didn’t give him time to set anyone else on you. The minute I agreed I hung up and came over to see just what he’d done.” 

“We’re such a pair,” she said, a trace of bitterness in her voice. “Flies caught in his web who cared for the spider and expected not to be eaten.”

“I’ll make sure the web is gone if it’s the last thing I do,” he said. “And he’ll never hurt you again. I swear.”

She lifted her head up to nod and then moved closer to kiss him again. If Seb made a promise, she knew he would keep it, especially one like that. He’d give his life to make sure she was safe and though she feared it might get to that point, she’d do her own best to make sure it didn’t come to that.


	9. Chapter 9

It seemed after the afternoon spent shagging they couldn’t get enough of each other. She’d though Jim was the type always willing to go a round or two, but this was different. There had been a marked possessiveness in how Jim was with her, and nothing but tenderness, even when they were at their most passionate, when it was with Seb.

And she found she craved it so much.

She was brushing her teeth, dressed in one of Seb’s T-shirts, when he walked into the loo, on the phone with someone. From the ease in his voice and the smile on his face, she imagined it was family. He pulled the mouthpiece away from his mouth and pressed a kiss on the bit of skin that showed on her shoulder, eliciting a smile around her toothbrush, and then returned to the conversation at hand.

She wasn’t eavesdropping as he had come in while she was busy, but it seemed someone wanted to see him. Then, to her surprise, he said “Yes, she’ll be coming with me. No third degree. You scare her off I’ll bloody ground you, I don’t care if you’re nineteen.” There was a pause. “I’ll have Matt ground Caitlyn if she tries.”

She spit out her toothpaste, smiling at the conversation slightly, and then rinsed her mouth out with mouthwash while he finished his conversation and then carefully set his mobile to the side. “We’ve been summoned to Fallbrook,” he said.

“We? Or you and you’re just dragging me along?” she asked, moving to straddle him as he sat on the edge of the bathtub.

“We,” he said. “You and I. Together. Fully clothed.” He ran his hand up under the shirt, trailing his fingers along her spine. “They’re curious about you.”

“Will they like me is the real question, though,” Molly said. Seb answered with a slow, seductive kiss that she smiled into more. “You’ll make sure they like me.”

“I love you, and so will they.”

She played with his shirt for a moment. “Do they know...everything?”

“Not everything, but enough. They know you’re in danger and I’m keeping you safe. They know I’ve known you a while longer than just these last few weeks.” He looked up at her. “Whatever else you want to tell them, they can know. It’s about time they knew everything anyway, no matter the cost.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you,” she said, caressing his face. “I’ve come to realize that I’m falling for you, Seb. I’d never purposefully hurt you, not if I can avoid it. And if they don’t know the truth or don’t look as though they want to know it, I won’t be the one to change things between all of you.”

He kissed her again, a kiss that started tenderly but quickly became much more passionate as he edged the shirt up. Eventually, they broke the kiss so he could take it off of her, leaving her in just her knickers, and she could feel just how eager he was to take things farther. But he was taking things slowly, just kissing every bit of skin of hers he could, and she shut her eyes and let him. Their relationship hadn’t moved slowly, but she didn’t care. She’d told him the truth: all of this, everything he had done for her and the knowledge that she had of who he really was...she was falling fast for Sebastian Moran, and hard.

And for once, she was just going to let herself do it without a second thought.


	10. Chapter 10

She was glad she knew Caitlyn was his half-sister because they looked nothing alike. While Seb had dark hair and piercing blue eyes, Caitlyn was a freckled ginger with the greenest eyes Molly had ever laid eyes on. Her husband Matthew was tall, stocky and a blonde with his own set of sun-kissed freckles around the face, and Marjorie was tall, willowy and a brunette with honeyed hazel eyes.

And they all looked happy to see her. That, she wasn’t expecting. She knew Seb had told them it was government business and she was in his custody, but it was almost like they _knew_ the relationship was more than “bodyguard/protectee.”

“How much have you been talking about me?” Molly asked, giving him a sharp glare.

“I may have been told to drop the act and admit I was in love with you,” he said with a smirk. “Trust me, if Charlie was here he’d have the same look on his face. So would Sheniqua.” Her stare must have been blank because he chuckled. “Charlie’s wife. They’ve got six-month-old twins or else Caitlyn would have demanded both their arses be out here to meet you. And you’ll learn that what Caitlyn wants, Caitlyn gets. Fortunately what she usually wants is good for everyone else.”

Molly’s glare softened into a smile. It was quite obvious Seb loved not only his blood relative but the rest of his family as well. Anyone who became a part of it, they were important to him.

Hopefully, that included her as well.

As they got out of the automobile and he came around to her, he reached over for her hand and linked his fingers through hers. “You did a fine job there, bro!” Caitlyn called out, her non-accent accent a sharp contrast to Sebastian’s Irish brogue.

“You haven’t even talked to Molly yet,” he said with a chuckle, shaking his head.

“Don’t need to. You’re smiling. You never smile, Mr. Broody Face,” Marjorie said, running up to him and kissing his cheek. She was almost as tall as Seb was. Molly could see why she had chosen basketball as her preferred sport. “Okay, I know that’s a lie. Don’t correct me. You _rarely_ smile.”

“Thank you,” Seb said with a nod before letting go of Molly’s hand and swinging an arm around Marjorie’s shoulders. “Game of pick-up and you can wipe my arse on the floor?”

“You’ve got it, old man,” she said with a laugh, sliding an arm around his waist.

Caitlyn shook her head and watched the two of them walk off to the side of the house for a moment before leaning in to kiss her husband’s cheek. “Matt, why don’t you get the grill ready?”

“I will take that as my cue to let you interrogate your brother’s girlfriend,” he said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry. Caitlyn’s bark is worse than her bite, Molly.”

“No barking or biting will be done here,” Caitlyn said, shaking her head. “Now go.” Matt kissed her cheek in return and then headed into the ranch-style house behind them. When they were alone, Caitlyn grinned at Molly. “I mean that, by the way. You’re the first woman Seb has ever brought here. If he trusts you enough to do that, you’re okay in my book.”

Molly smiled. “So you know he’s not...”

Caitlyn laughed. “I knew he was seeing that jackass Moriarty for a while. I’m glad that creep doesn’t know about us or this place or anything like that. No, you’re different. He’s mentioned you before...whatever happened.” She inclined her head to the side of the house Seb and Marjorie had gone around. “Do you like gardens?”

“I do,” Molly said with a nod. 

“Let’s get a drink and take a walk in the garden, then.” She went around the side of the house and Molly followed, seeing a full-size basketball court where an intense game of basketball was being played by Seb and Marjorie. Caitlyn walked to what looked like a small wet bar and opened a mini refrigerator, pulling out two bottles of water. “I hope you like strawberries,” she said, handing a bottle to Molly. “My husband got us a contract to supply our strawberries to a beverage manufacturer for flavored water. This is from the first batch. That’s what Seb came down here to take care of a little while back.”

Molly opened her bottle and took a sip. The taste of strawberry was strong and the water was crisp, so it was a very enjoyable combination. She tasted a hint of something else. “Is there mint in this?”

“Good tastebuds,” Caitlyn said with a nod. “There’s supposed to be plain strawberry, strawberry basil and strawberry mint from our plants. There are other berry flavors but we just provide the strawberries. I have some of the blackberry mint and raspberry lemon if you’d like to try those.”

“This is a good start but I would definitely be interested.”

“Trust me, if you like them we’ll send some back up to LA with you. We have tons.” She pointed to the opposite side of the yard, away from the basketball court. “I have one of those round picnic tables with an umbrella in the garden to eat outside under. Let’s head that way.”

Molly and Caitlyn started walking in the direction of a small hill, and when they crested the hill Molly saw one of the most beautiful gardens she’d seen outside of the public gardens in London. There were roses all over the place, and by the scent of the breeze coming towards him at the very least there was jasmine and lavender in the garden too. They walked to a path and then followed it to a large wooden table with a red and white checkered umbrella. Molly sat down near Caitlyn but still facing her just slightly.

“I suppose I should come clean,” Caitlyn said. “I know what my brother does. Did. I know what kind of man Moriarty was without him ever having to say specifically. So...for you to walk away is incredibly brave.”

“I had Seb’s help,” she said. “If we weren’t here, I have no doubt we’d both be dead.”

“I don’t either. Seb just said he hurt you and that was the last straw, but...well, it’s been obvious he was into you for a long time. You were more than just bait in that asshole’s game. You were special.”

“He’s made that very clear,” Molly said with a smile. 

“I’m not even going to say ‘don’t hurt him or I’ll hurt you’ because I get the feeling you won’t. You just don’t seem to be that kind of person.” She had a sip of her water. “You’re what Seb’s needed since he took us all in.”

Molly flushed slightly. “I can’t be that much of...” She trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.

“Well, you are. Charlie...he was fourteen when the bastards we lived with died. I was ten. Marjorie was literally just a toddler. And Seb came in and kept us all together when it turned out no one wanted Marjorie, and he brought us here to the farm and we had a better life. Charlie figured it out first, and he told me and we agreed we’d never tell him we knew. I think Charlie did, eventually, but he said he was good. Seb was good. But he was always alone. And now he’s not and that’s a good thing.”

Molly nodded, her heart bursting with something she couldn’t quite name. This was just more reasons to love this man, it seemed. “Jim is dangerous.”

“Yeah. Charlie and I figured that out when things changed. I don’t know why he went to work for that bastard, but he got so much more secretive, and there would be times I’d get a call saying to make sure the first aid kit in LA was stocked. When I’d go back up later, half the contents would be missing. That had never happened before.” She bit her lip. “He’s really out of that life?”

Molly nodded. “As far as I know, as soon as whatever threat Jim poses is taken care of, he’ll be working specifically for Her Majesty under the brother of a friend of mine. And if Mycroft doesn’t want me beating his arse with that umbrella of his, Seb will be in less danger.”

“I think you’re going to be as protective of him as he is of you,” Caitlyn said with a smile and an approving nod. “Good. Then I suppose there’s just one last thing to know.”

“Yes?”

“Turkey burgers, Angus burgers, tofu burgers or steak?” Caitlyn asked, her smile widening. “Put your dibs in for steak now before Matt and Seb eat it all.”

Molly chuckled and turned towards the direction of the basketball court. She couldn’t see Seb but she was sure he was enjoying himself as much as she was. “Do you have any of those avocados Seb keeps crowing about?”

“We do,” Caitlyn said with a nod. 

“Then I’ll have an Angus burger with some slices of one on top.”

“Good choice,” Caitlyn said. “I think I’m going to like having you in the family.”

“I think I will be very glad to be in the family,” Molly said in agreement. This had been much better than she ever could have hoped for, and that was a lovely thing.


	11. Chapter 11

The good mood was ruined almost as soon as they got back to Los Angeles. She could tell something was wrong by the way Seb stiffened as he pulled into the driveway. “Seb?” she asked.

“Something isn’t right,” he murmured. She watched him sit in the car, observing what he could in the darkness. “There’s someone inside.”

“What are we going to do?” she asked.

“I’m going to get you out of here and then take care of the problem.” He reached down to his ankle and reached into his boot, pulling out a knife and handing it to her. “I almost wish I’d brought the gun, but this will have to do.”

Molly nodded and took the knife. Knowing Sally as long as she had she had a decent idea of self-defense from courses they’d taken at the local gymnasium, plus things the woman had taught her on her own, and then there had been what she’d picked up from Jim when she rambled. She knew unless Seb got her far enough away before anyone noticed they’d come home she might have to use the knife and that realistically it would make no difference, but it would give her something to defend herself as much as she could.

It didn’t seem they would get the chance, though, as she could see two figures come out of the home, guns drawn. Before they could aim and fire Seb turned on the brights and then slammed the gear shift into reverse and peeled out of the driveway. He made it to the end before another car blocked their path. He continued to push past and only got the car halfway out of the drive before his door was jerked open. He put up a fight but she only noticed long enough that he was getting pulled out and beaten before her world went black.

Her head was ringing when she came to; how much later, she wasn’t aware. She wasn’t bound, which she felt was unusual, but there was no room to move. She’d move a few inches and hit something hard. She was in a box of some sort. Maybe a trunk. Or maybe even a car trunk. She had no idea because there was no light filtering in.

Damn it all, now was not the time for the panic to kick in, she told herself as she felt the familiar shortness of breath. Seb would find her. Seb would find her. He would.

She felt a jarring on one side and was jolted against the small confines. “Now, now, Mousey Molly. Don’t cry. You’ll be let out soon enough. Not for long, mind you, but...I can’t kill you until Seb arrives.”

Her blood went cold at the sound of Jim’s voice. She had known, she had really always known, that unless he was dead there was the chance he would find them, find _her_ , and finish the job. “Jim...”

“Don’t ‘Jim’ me!” Jim snapped. “I should have killed you. I don’t _get_ left or betrayed without there being equal retribution. You take something of mine, I take something of yours, and dear Seb knows that better than anyone else. He was the one I always sent to take care of the problem. I should have known when it came to you he _would_ be the problem. But don’t worry. I’ll fix that.” There was another jolt to whatever she was in, but she knew she couldn’t cry. She wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction. If she was angry, and she was smart, she might survive.

There was silence outside and then she heard the sound of footsteps. She had no idea who had entered until she heard the gunshot. It had to be Seb. The shot was followed by thuds and grunts and all signs were pointing to there being a fight of some sort, a fight she was hoping Seb was getting the upper hand on.

Then there was silence, and suddenly a blinding light. 

And Jim was standing over her.

“I’m going to ki--” he said, and then he stiffened.

“Not if I kill you first,” she heard Seb say in a way that worried her, and she saw the tip of a knife protruding out of Jim’s chest for a moment before he dropped.

“Seb!” she shouted. But there was no answer. She realized she was in the trunk of an automobile and quickly scrambled out of it, ignoring the wide-eyed dead body directly beneath where her feet would land and instead of looking for Seb…

...only to see him in a heap by the side of the car.

“Oh my God,” she said. “Please, Seb. Answer me.”

“You’re safe,” he murmured, curled up in a fetal position.

“Do you have broken bones?” she asked, carefully prodding at areas that appeared to be cut or torn in his clothes. Every once in a while Seb hissed in pain, which she assumed meant he’d been injured there. She pulled off her shirt and began ripping it into strips, using it as a tourniquet where she could. “Seb, please, talk to me. Stay awake.”

“He stabbed me,” she said.

“Don’t dislodge it!”

“I know that, Molly.” He coughed and she saw blood next to his mouth. “It’s not a fatal wound.”

“Internal bleeding,” she said.

“In my boot. Mobile. 9-11.”

“I have no idea where we are!” she said, only just now beginning to panic as she reached to the ankle holster in his boot, finding a mobile there instead of a knife.

“Abandoned storage unit. La Jolla.” He lapsed into silence for a moment. “Greyson’s. Storage unit B-23.”

“Alright,” she said, her shaking fingers pressing the three buttons. “You stay with me, Seb, you hear me? You’re not allowed to die on me.”

“Not...yet,” he said, and then he lapsed into silence again. She was distracted by the emergency operator, who stayed on her while she kept one hand on Seb, feeling his labored breathing more than seeing or hearing it. When she heard sirens in the distance, she slipped her hand into his and felt no return of pressure. She couldn’t lose him, not now.

Not ever.


	12. Chapter 12

She was rather surprised to see Mycroft at the hospital. She hadn’t expected that. But strings were pulled somehow and she was allowed to take the second bed in the room while Seb was recuperating. Not that she was there often; usually she was in a chair next to his bed while Caitlyn, Marjorie, Matt or the freshly arrived Charles was in the other. Even though they all knew Seb’s chances of survival was good, he was still put in a medically induced coma to help the healing along.

She had been surprised when the doctors said she was the one to make the decisions on his medical care. She had also been surprised he had a “do not resuscitate” order standing but she imagined if he was going to be a vegetable he’d consider himself a burden to his family and he would never want that in a million years. Fortunately, her skills at the scene had been sufficient to save his life, and all they had to do now was wait.

He woke up when she had been convinced by Caitlyn to go back to the farm and take a shower. She’d broken down into all the tears she’d held in while the water cascaded on her, and when she was done crying she finished washing up, being careful not to get her plaster cast on her arm wet, and then changed into fresh clothing and went back to the hospital. The fact she wasn’t driving made it easier to answer the phone when the call came. “Hello?” she asked, not recognizing the number.

“Hey,” she heard Seb say, his voice weak sounding and slightly slurred. 

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes as she covered her mouth to keep from sobbing out loud. When she removed it she spoke again. “I’m sorry I’m not there.”

“Caitlyn is. She said she forced you to take a shower. Wish I could join you.”

“When you’re all well we’ll take advantage of the bath in Los Angeles and then work our way up to shower gymnastics,” she said, smiling even as her cheeks got wet again. “I’ll be there soon. It’s a bit of a drive to La Jolla.”

“I know.” He was quiet and she was afraid he’d gone to sleep before his voice surprised her again. “Love you, Molly.”

“I love you too, Seb,” she said before hanging up and enduring the rest of the ride with a sense of anticipation she hadn’t felt since the ordeal had finished once and for all.

She wasn’t surprised to see Mycroft waiting to open the door to her cab at the hospital. “Dr. Hooper,” he said.

“Mycroft,” she said, giving him a curt nod. 

“I thought I might speak to you. Quickly, I promise. Mr. Moran is asleep at the moment and I will ensure you are there when he awakens again.”

She bit her lip and then nodded. Mycroft walked away from the hospital, finding a tree to stand under. After a moment he fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, tapped one out and lit it before inhaling. He made a face, at what she assumed was the high tar content, and then lowered his hand slightly. “Mr. Moran is an MI-6 operative. And Her Majesty needs him to finish what was started here in California.”

“What do you mean?” she asked warily.

“When he is physically ready, he’ll need to take down the criminal enterprise he was a part of. Sherlock will help, as he has connections in places I do not and with people I would prefer not to deal with, but...I need to know your intentions.”

“What do you mean?” she asked again, still not understanding the point of this conversation.

“I’ll put it bluntly: are you planning on returning to London?” Mycroft asked before inhaling on the cigarette again.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. She hadn’t even gotten to talk to Seb, to find out what he wanted, and here she was being asked to decide on her future? It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. “If you just want me back in London for Sherlock’s sake--”

“On the contrary, I think it is in your best interest to stay here in California for the time being. Preferably on the farm.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“Moriarty had plans in place should he be betrayed. We do not know if he enacted them, and with your...dalliance...with him, as well as Mr. Moran’s, you both could be in danger. While I can protect you well in London, I cannot guarantee the safety of his family here in the States. Should you stay, however, the United States government has agreed to the protection of you and the entire family.”

“Not witness protection, surely,” she said, her eyes widening.

“No. It would be much more similar to what you have in London already as an associate of Sherlock’s. Just... _more_.” He had another puff of his cigarette, made another face, and then tossed it on the ground and stepped on it to put it out. “Consider it, Dr. Hooper.” With that, he knelt down to pick up the partially smoked cigarette and walked away.

Molly watched for a moment and then walked to the hospital and made her way up to the room. Caitlin was in the corner with a cup of coffee and Seb was blinking his unbandaged eye, grinning slightly as she came in. “Missed you.”

“Oh, I would have been here faster but I was waylaid by Mycroft Holmes,” she said. “He wants me to stay in California while you go...elsewhere.”

“Knew that was coming,” he murmured. “Will you be safe?”

She sat next to him and squeezed his hand. “Yes. So will Caitlyn and the others, just in case.”

“You can stay at the farm,” Caitlyn piped up. “We have plenty of room.”

“I would like that if you’ll have me,” Molly said with a soft smile. Then she turned to Seb. “You had best come back in one piece, you know. But I’ll be here, waiting.”

“Promise?” he said, beginning to drift back to sleep. She picked his hand up and kissed it before his eyes fluttered shut again.

“Promise.”


	13. Chapter 13

It took a while for Seb to heal, but too soon the time came where he was going to need to meet Sherlock in New York and start dismantling Jim’s web. It had been a long, slow road, considering the severity of the beating Seb had taken to make sure Jim couldn’t get his hands on her, but eventually it was the night before he had to leave and Molly had something to tell him.

They had been less and less careful once they had resumed shagging, and it was just a matter of time, she’d figured, before she found herself preggers. The test she had taken that Caitlyn had let her use from her stash had just confirmed it, but instead of being elated she’d broken into tears and Caitlyn had just held her close. While she knew there would be happiness at the news if Seb didn’t come back…

 _I won’t be alone, at least,_ she thought as she looked at the quiet conversation Seb was having with Caitlyn and Matt in the living room. His family... _their_ family, to be quite honest, would make sure of it. Seb’s child would be loved by all of them, but no more than by her.

And him too, if he came back in one piece.

Eventually, he gave his sister and brother-in-law one last embrace each and then came over to her, reaching for her hand. He had a slight limp now and probably always would, but it didn’t seem to bother him. She just hoped it wasn’t a trait that now made him noticeable or memorable. She took his hand and they made their way to the guest house, knowing tomorrow he’d slip out while everyone was asleep to spare them all the pain of having to go through another goodbye.

Once they got there he pulled her close, kissing her with a hunger she wasn’t sure she could sate, not in one night. But she had to tell him she was expecting their child. He had to _know_ , and so she pulled back and he frowned. “Molly?”

“Seb...I need to tell you something.”

“You’re not going back to London, are you?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head with vehemence. “No! No, absolutely not! I wouldn’t dare put the people I love in danger.”

“Then what is it?” he asked with a frown.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I’m pregnant, Seb. I used one of Caitlyn’s home tests, because you know she and Matt have been trying for ages, and it was positive.” She pulled away and went to the loo, getting the test and bringing it out to him. “I’ll go to the doctor tomorrow, find out specifics, but--”

He cut her off by dropping the test on the ground and cupping her face gently in his hands and kissing her. The hunger was gone, replaced with a gentleness she hadn’t known he was capable of, not even with her. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was enough to know he was pleased. Then he pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers. “When I come back, you’ll marry me, right?”

“Of course!” she said. “Yes, absolutely. I will. I promise. You just have to come back.”

He moved a hand to the pocket of the coat he was wearing and fished out a box. She stepped back to see him flip open the lid and a beautiful Claddagh ring with an emerald heart and diamonds on the band was immediately apparent and she gasped at how lovely it was. He reached for her left hand and slipped the band on her finger, the point of the heart facing her own heart. “ _Gra mo chroi,_ ” he said. “It means ‘love of my heart.’ It’s inscribed inside the ring. Keep it on as long as you can, and keep it close to your heart when you can’t.”

She nodded, tearing up again. “Oh, Seb,” she said, and he pulled his hand away and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

“We’ll survive, and we’ll thrive. We’re fated to be together, it seems. That makes you my _anamchara_ , and me yours. We’ll always find our ways back to each other.”

She didn’t know Gaelic but if she had to guess, he was telling her they were soulmates. And as she moved her hands to cradle his face and kiss him again, the hunger in the kiss coming on them quickly, she knew he would have her heart and her soul along with him as long as he was gone.

And she would wait for him to come home.


	14. Chapter 14

**Three Years Later**

“Molly!”

Marjorie yelled loud enough from the path of the garden to get her attention as she tended to the roses. Caitlyn had said she did wonders there and by all means, putter around to her heart’s content. Molly knew what she really meant, though, and appreciated it more than she could say: do whatever you need to keep yourself occupied so you don’t miss Seb so much.

It helped that they all felt the same.

She wiped off her gloved hands and then put her little hoe and spade in the cloth bag that Marjorie had gotten her for Mother’s Day this year that had spaces for all of her gardening implements and then spaces for her gloves and seed packets and all that. It was such a thoughtful gift since Declan couldn’t pick one out on his own, being only two.

“I’m coming,” Molly called back, picking up the bag and walking along the path to the exit of the garden. The smile on Marjorie’s face was almost as bright as it had been when she had gotten accepted to John Hopkins for medical school. She was sure Seb would be proud when he found out. “What’s going on?”

Marjorie’s smile got even wider if that was possible and she grabbed Molly’s free hand and Molly nearly stumbled as she was half-pulled and half-dragged up the hill overlooking the garden. When they got to the top, she saw Charles, Sheniqua, the twins, Matt, Caitlyn…

...and Declan in the arms of a very familiar man.

His father was back.

“Seb!” she yelled out, moving faster than Marjorie to get to the covered deck, nearly tripping over toddler toys in her haste. She got there just as Seb handed Declan to Caitlyn and caught Molly as she hurled herself at him. He was blonde now, and he was wearing a patch over his eye, but she didn’t care. He was there. He was with her again.

He was home.

“Oh, God, I missed you,” he murmured into her hair, keeping her so close she worried he might cut off her air but not caring, either.

“I missed you too,” she said, choking back a sob. They stayed like that for a few moments before she pulled back and fingered the area near the patch. “What happened?”

“Not permanent, don’t worry,” he said. “I still have my sight, but I can’t do sniper work anymore, so Mycroft officially retired me from MI-6.”

“So you’re _free_ free?” Caitlyn asked.

Seb nodded. “Yeah. I’m a free man. Her Majesty offered an official pardon for the work I did, Sherlock is back in London safe and sound getting a CBE last I heard and I’m staying here. Or, Los Angeles, if you’d prefer. Unless you want to go back to London?”

Molly shook her head. “Our family is here in the States. But it would be nice to have our own place. No offense, Caitlyn.”

“None taken, sis,” she said, shifting Declan to her other side. “I guess I get to redesign the place in LA?”

“I was thinking we’d sell that and build a place down here if that won’t be more trouble for you.”

“Well, I need to take some time away from the business for a bit anyway,” she said, smiling at Matt. “And the sooner I build you three your dream home the sooner my kid can take over his cousin’s playroom.”

“You’re pregnant?” Marjorie screeched. “Oh my God!”

“We just found out this morning,” Matt said. “So this works out well. Have any idea where you want to live, Seb? La Costa? La Jolla?”

“I was thinking buying up that farm down the road that I saw was on the market and expanding the business. Use one exclusively for avocados, the other for strawberries. Maybe trees, too? There is that area where they have the stall.”

“I think we could do some interesting things with all that space,” Matt said. “Why don’t we take Declan and give you and Molly some time to get reacquainted? You’ll like what Molly did with the guest house.

“Oh, will I?” Seb asked, giving Molly a look that said he probably wouldn’t notice until quite some time later.

“And that is our cue to start figuring out a welcome home dinner,” Charles said. “Come on. Y’all know I make a mean fried chicken now.”

“You mean _I_ do,” Sheniqua teased with a laugh, picking up one of her children and leaning into her husband. “Have fun, you too. We’ll start placing bets on when Declan’s going to have a sister.”

“What makes you so sure they’re going to have a girl next?” Marjorie asked as the rest of the family began moving into the home, leaving Seb and Molly out back by themselves.

“So it’s all over?” Molly asked.

Seb nodded. “There isn’t a trace of the organization left. Not a lot of dead bodies, surprisingly, but Sherlock made sure the ones that lived are in deep dark holes.”

“And it took you three years to do it?” she asked, brushing her fingers on his face.

“Yeah, but when you want a job done right, you take your time.” He pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Just like I’m going to take my time getting to know you all over again.”

Molly shivered with anticipation and then lifted herself up to kiss him, and soon he picked her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, not breaking the kiss as he began making his way to the guest house. He was back, and he was healthy and whole, and now a new chapter of their lives could begin.

The paradigm had shifted in the absolute best way possible, it seemed.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Paradigm Shift](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15910539) by [Dreamin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin)




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